Parenting 101

One aspect of parenting that can be more difficult than most parents anticipate is teaching children proper dental hygiene and tooth care. You may remember that when you were a child, brushing your teeth probably seemed more like a chore than anything else… we’ve all heard parents calling out “brush your teeth!” before children go to bed, and it doesn’t come across as the most enjoyable activity. So, how can you be sure that your children are learning proper tooth care habits? For starters, you may want to head to topdentists.com and conduct a search to research dentists in your area. This is a good way to find out basic information about nearby dentists, which can lead to you finding someone you trust to help your children. In the meantime, however, here are a few tooth care tips that you may want to pass along to your children.

o   A lot of parents focus on the amount of time that their children should spend brushing their teeth. Generally, dentists and experts will tell you that anywhere between 2 and 3 minutes is acceptable. However, this strengthens the perception that tooth brushing is a chore, and may not be as strong a tool for teaching your children good habits. Instead of focusing on how long your children ought to spend brushing, focus on the quality of the brushing – teach your children how to reach all of the surfaces and areas on their teeth, and to brush effectively, rather than simply swishing the brush around to pass time.

o   Make sure that your children understand the proper times of day to brush. Some parents (and some dentists, in fact) maintain that it is ideal for people to brush their teeth three times a day. However, most importantly, you need to make sure that your children are brushing on their own in the morning before school and at night before they go to bed. Instilling these habits in a young child is very important, as the routine should stick later in life.

o   You also want to teach your children at an early age how to floss. Flossing seems to be the main thing that dentists recommend and patients ignore. However, not only can it help to remove loose particles from mouths, it can also be very effective in cleaning the space between teeth and maintaining health in the gums. Again, if you teach your children to floss at a young age, they will be more likely to stick with the habit as they grow older, and will therefore likely have healthier mouths.

Several studies are expressing a growing concern that after school programs are pressurizing kids to do too much too soon. They point out that when a child’s afternoon is filled with classes, trips, sports and other forms of organized activities, kids do not really get the time to be just kids. They are even being deprived of the cherished family time.

Undoubtedly, there are children who are being burdened with a schedule that places too much demand on their time. This leads to increased levels of stress on the child and the family. As regular studies cannot be ignored, children are almost always on the run to achieve more. Such children are really bearing a burden that is too heavy for their frail little shoulders.

In an ideal world, all children would go home directly after school to loving and caring parents who are waiting for the children to come home. But the social and economic realities show that many children have to attend after school courses because there is no one available at home. For such children, these classes are a boon.

Parents should however restrain themselves from reading too much into these activities. After school programs are complimentary in nature. They give additional support. Therefore, their importance should also be limited.

There’s only so much one person (or two) can do to get a baby to go to sleep. There are things you can use other than your own shoulder to help lull your baby to sleep.

A baby swing can be a good idea and leave your hands free. Set the swing at a slow and gentle rock; you don’t want this to be an exciting or stimulating experience. You want to make it relaxing so your baby can fall asleep.

A glider or rocker is restful for both of you. And a good pillow support, like a Boppy(r) pillow is good for late-night breast feeding. It’s a nice U-shaped pillow that provides good support for your baby, as well as for your back.

If you’re on a budget, some parents swear by putting their baby in a baby seat and putting it on top of a dryer. If you do this, be sure to put the dryer on air only – you don’t want to overheat him.

A motorized cradle or bassinette can also be soothing for a baby. As a last resort, you can always bundle the baby into his car seat and drive around the neighborhood until he falls asleep. Many experts don’t recommend artificial aids like this however, as it’s impossible to sustain it and you won’t get the baby used to sleeping on his own.

There are also many ambient noise machines on the market that can also help mask household noises and provide a soothing environment for the baby (and for many adults). You can usually set them for a variety of noises, like rainfall, windchimes or ocean sounds. You can also leave the TV on quietly in another room so the baby doesn’t feel completely isolated in his room.

Crying is a physiological process in the life of a baby.All normal babies cry to communicate with others.Sine they can’t express their feelings in words crying is the only way for communication. If any uncomfortable feeling comes they simply cry.Normally babies cry in situations like hunger,wetting,too heat or cold,tight cloaths,pain ect. Some kids need the presence of somebody otherwise will cry simply.Crying without any cause is habitual in some babies. Eventhough crying is considered as normal it may worry the family members.Since the reasons for crying ranges from simple causes to serious causes it should not be ignored and hence exact cause has to be identified and managed accordingly.

The following are some points which should be considered while dealing with a crying baby.

1. It is dangerous to shake the baby vigorously.

2. Tight cloaths can cause irritation hence it should be removed.

3. If the room is hot put the fan and open the windows.

4. If the nappy is wet remove it and after cleaning the parts make it dry with a soft towel.

5. Pat her back or stroke her head slowly and let her here your soothing sound.

6. Give breast milk and make her quiet.

7. If the climate is cold cover her in soft towel.

8. Rock her gently in your arms and walk slowly in the room.

9. Take a music making doll and let her listen.

10. Try a pacifier or help her for thumb sucking.

11. If no response change her position.

12. Walk outdors with her.

13. Put her on the cradle and rock gently.

14. If no response ask somebody to carry the baby.

Even after all these steps the baby goes on crying see for the following signs.

( Probable cause is given after every sign)

1. Press her abdomen gently,she may twist or resist you:—Colic

2. Pull her ear gently she may become worse or push your hands away:—Earache.

3. Feel her temperature with the back of your hands:–Fever due to any infection.

4. Examine the skin from head to foot:–Eruptive disease, nappy rash,measles,vesicles,allergy ect.

5. See the nose for any discharge:–Coryza.

6. Move the head gently to feel any neck stiffness:–Meningitis,head injury ect.

7. Keep your ear near her chest to hear any rattling sound:–Increased mucus in wind pipes.

(pneumonia,bronchiolitis,asthamatic bronchitis ect)

8. Examine the anal orifice:–Anal erosion,rectal polyp,crawling of worms.

9. Examine the genitalia:–Any discharge or erosion.

10. In male baby see the testicles which may be swollen or tender:–Orchitis,torsion of testes.

11. also notice the body movements and see for any convulsions,rigors,vomiting,cough,laboured breathing ect.

If you see the above signs or any other abnormal signs consult your doctor for proper treatement.

The safety of cribs has come particularly into question in past years, primarily due to the fact that tragic accidents that have been the result of unsafe crib usage. Many of the cribs in question were manufactured and purchased prior to 1989, before a standard for crib safety was implemented.

While it is safe to assume that cribs made after this date were built with adherence to the guidelines, there are still some risks that you could be taking with the safety of your newborn. The reason is that most of these baby beds will come to your home in a box in various pieces with a message on the crate stating, “Assembly required.” Who will be doing the assembling? Why, the proud expectant parents, of course!

Following the Baby Crib Instructions

The manufacturer is making the assumption that the assembler of the crib will follow the baby crib instructions in accordance to the assembly of the crib. That is why it is so important to put together your newly purchased furniture with special care and to follow every single detail of the baby crib instructions that were included with your purchase.

For example, a crib mattress is only as secure as the mattress support. Therefore, you need to make certain that you place the support into your crib absolutely correctly, and that you tighten every screw and bolt before your precious child ever sees the inside of those slats. Take special care to check over your pieces to make sure you are not missing a single part and that every piece of hardware is in good condition.

The baby crib instructions will also give you valuable information about whether it is safe to raise your mattress into the higher position, when it is okay to lower it, and how to clean and care for your purchase, for instance. There may also be other important information with your baby crib instructions, such as the safest location in the room to place the crib, and how to handle the question of safely including baby bedding and accessories.

Once you have successfully assembled your baby’s crib, you should remember to keep the instructions in a safe place so that if you ever need a replacement part, you can order one directly from the manufacturer.

If you are a deal seeker, you can safely buy a second hand crib with a little bit of knowledge tucked away in your belt. However still remember to make sure that any baby crib includes the original instructions and a label that tells you the date that the crib was manufactured. Any crib made after 1989 will have been built according to the safety standards that went into effect that year.

Your new little one will spend plenty of time in his new bed. It is important to make sure that the time spent is safe for your child.

The safety of cribs has come particularly into question in past years, primarily due to the fact that tragic accidents that have been the result of unsafe crib usage. Many of the cribs in question were manufactured and purchased prior to 1989, before a standard for crib safety was implemented.

While it is safe to assume that cribs made after this date were built with adherence to the guidelines, there are still some risks that you could be taking with the safety of your newborn. The reason is that most of these baby beds will come to your home in a box in various pieces with a message on the crate stating, “Assembly required.” Who will be doing the assembling? Why, the proud expectant parents, of course!

Following the Baby Crib Instructions

The manufacturer is making the assumption that the assembler of the crib will follow the baby crib instructions in accordance to the assembly of the crib. That is why it is so important to put together your newly purchased furniture with special care and to follow every single detail of the baby crib instructions that were included with your purchase.

For example, a crib mattress is only as secure as the mattress support. Therefore, you need to make certain that you place the support into your crib absolutely correctly, and that you tighten every screw and bolt before your precious child ever sees the inside of those slats. Take special care to check over your pieces to make sure you are not missing a single part and that every piece of hardware is in good condition.

The baby crib instructions will also give you valuable information about whether it is safe to raise your mattress into the higher position, when it is okay to lower it, and how to clean and care for your purchase, for instance. There may also be other important information with your baby crib instructions, such as the safest location in the room to place the crib, and how to handle the question of safely including baby bedding and accessories.

Once you have successfully assembled your baby’s crib, you should remember to keep the instructions in a safe place so that if you ever need a replacement part, you can order one directly from the manufacturer.

If you are a deal seeker, you can safely buy a second hand crib with a little bit of knowledge tucked away in your belt. However still remember to make sure that any baby crib includes the original instructions and a label that tells you the date that the crib was manufactured. Any crib made after 1989 will have been built according to the safety standards that went into effect that year.

Your new little one will spend plenty of time in his new bed. It is important to make sure that the time spent is safe for your child.

Why spend a lot of money on kid’s games when you can have them for free? Besides, it really does not matter how you have gotten these games. The most important thing is that your kids and their friends will enjoy every minute of it.

Your kid’s party will not be complete without party games. If you have already shed some cash on the preparation and the food, there is no need to shed out some more in thinking up and creating kid’s games. There are a lot of free kid’s games that you can conjure up that your kids will love.

Here are some suggestions for free kids’ games that you can have the next time you plan a kiddie party.

1. The good old limbo.

Have a rope or a pole ready then tell the children to form a line. Hold the other end of the rope or pole and have someone hold the other end.

The mechanics is to let the children bend over and go to the other side without touching the rope or pole. Those who touch the pole or rope is considered out of the game.

The preceding levels will find the children bending more and more because the rope or pole is getting lower and lower. The child who gets past all the level is the winner.

2. Feed the bear.

On a cardboard, draw a bear with a huge hole on the part where the mouth should be. The hole need to be large enough for balls or other small toys to get through. Then place it in a position a few feet away from the children.

Now, the children will each have their turn of throwing the ball or any other toys inside the mouth of the bear. Those who are able to throw them inside the bear’s mouth is given goodies as prizes.

Kids can play this game as long as they want to because no one will be out of the game. The point is to try and get goodies with every successful throw.

3. Goose chase.

Position the children in a circle position. The birthday celebrant is given a certain spot where he could sit. When the game begins, the celebrant will become the “it”. All he has to do is go around the circle of children and tap each one on the shoulder while saying “duck”. Then he will choose one child to be the “duck”.

The “duck” will then chase the celebrant around the circle. He or she should be able to get hold of him before he gets to sit in his spot. When the celebrant gets to the spot without being tapped, the “duck” becomes the “it”. And he or she will do the same thing that the celebrant has done.

4. How many are there?

Before the party starts, fill a jar with candies or other goodies. Take note that you need to count them so that you know how many are there in the jar.

When the game begins, ask the children to guess how many candies or goodies are there inside the jar. Tally their answers. The winner of the game is the child who gets to guess exactly or close to the exact number.

Now, who said you have to pay for party games. Children will definitely have the time of their life playing these free kids’ games.

If you are like most adults in the world you search far and wide for a somewhat unique theme for the next great birthday bash. If you are at a bit of a loss this year, how about going with a classic movie theme. You can either choose one movie or let guests come dressed as favorite characters from individual movies and have a hodgepodge collection of music and DVDs available to set the theme for the party. You can also elect to have movie posters from the movie (if going with a specific movie theme) or a variety of great classics if going with the flow and letting everyone become their favorite classic movie characters. If you want to get really creative you can assign characters to guests and make an adventure of having guests try to guess the character and the movie.

The sky is the limit when planning a classic movie birthday party. If you are considering going with one specific movie however, please feel free to select from some of the excellent themes and ideas below.

1) The Godfather. I can’t think of a more appropriate birthday party for a good many of the men I know. It’s a great classic movie and the guys will have a great time going over their favorite Godfather lines all night. Have some great Italian music, Italian food, and plan for a night of fun. Don’t forget to have the movie on hand so that arguments over infamous lines and old scores can be settled.

2) Casablanca. This is great theme for a birthday party for the one you love or a romantic celebration such as Valentine’s Day or an anniversary. Have white table clothes, the soundtrack from the movie, an elegant dinner, and dress in clothes appropriate for the era. This is a classic movie and will definitely be a night and a party to remember.

3) Star Wars has finally attained status as a true classic and while it may be more modern than what many have in mind for those of the thirty something generation it is a great movie to incorporate and will make for a ton of fun that really is out of this world. Again the soundtrack and the DVD make lovely companions to a party of this theme and you can argue over favorite lines and make wagers accordingly. Wage war with blasters and light sabers and dress as your favorite characters or assign characters to various guests.

4) Favorite Movie Villains. This is another great theme for a classic movie party that doesn’t get used nearly often enough. I think we all have one villain that we can identify as a favorite rather it was one that scared us into spilling our pop or one that we can identify with to some extent it is great fun to celebrate life by exploring that little touch of darkness within. It also tells a lot about the people you call friends.

5) Old Westerns. For those who are looking for the perfect excuse to start a campfire and sing campy old trail riding music, there is little like a wild western movie theme to make those dreams a reality. You could even complete the evening with cowboy karaoke and s’mores. Just make sure you have plenty of your favorite westerns on hand in case you forget the lyrics.

Classic movies provide an excellent source of inspiration for all manner of wonderful ideas for themed birthday parties. You could even go with a John Wayne theme, World War II theme, Steve McQueen, or Clint Eastwood birthday party theme. Let your imagination run wild and have a great time making the plans and choosing the decorations for your perfect classic movie birthday party ideas. You never know when you’ll end up striking gold and creating the perfect night for the special someone you know and love.

Putting your toddler to bed can sometimes be an exercise in frustration. If you have experienced this, you might want to consider one of the following techniques to make bedtime a peaceful time.

Be consistent about bed times and waking times. Your toddler is more likely to respond positively if he’s used to a specified schedule. The earlier your child’s routine is established, the easier it is to put them to bed without incident.

Make the activities the same every night, and make the time before bed quiet and peaceful. Whether a parent tells the child a story, provides a bedtime snack, puts in a short video, or plays quiet games before putting the child in bed, consistency is the key.

Try not to lie in bed with your toddler until he falls asleep. This might actually have the opposite effect, and might encourage your child to stay awake, and ask for drinks of water and more bedtime stories. An alternative might be telling your toddler you’re going to complete a chore and that you’ll come back in and check on them in a few moments. It’s most likely that the child will fall asleep while waiting for mom or dad to return. You might also want to talk about your child’s day with them. Keep your tone soft and quiet, and try not to excite your child in the process. Turning this into a nighttime story with your child as the main character is a fun option as well.

As the child grows older, if a consistent bedtime is maintained the task will become easier. The most important issue is consistency and repetition. If the child can expect the same thing every night, and these customary tasks are pleasant, bedtime can become a delightful family ritual. If however, your child is continually resisting sleep, talk with your child’s pediatrician, as their might be a medical problem at the root of it.

Books are one of the portals to the rest of humanity, a window to the world. And a love for reading is one of the things cultivated among children, even at a young age.

They say that a person’s consciousness and awareness of the world is formed during his early formation years, which thus underscores the need to expose children to materials that open him to a lot of views and paints a picture of what the bigger world looks like. And a book that breaks barriers of culture is one of these.

Why? It is not enough that our books teach our kids the basic things they need to learn. In school, they meet and deal with children from different races and nationalities. Exposure of our children to multicultural books and literature that attempt to break down barriers of race and culture are good instruments in teaching them about prejudice and discrimination. Varied cultures and stories are presented, opening not only the children’s consciousness of the outside world, but instilling in their minds a respect and appreciation of these cultures and traditions. In the same manner, it shows children the similarities in experiences of people from different cultures, strengthening their idea of acceptance and appreciation of other people’s experiences. It makes them think ‘global’, widens their concept of the world. The story of the Holocaust and Anne Frank’s Diary opened a lot of minds on the tragedy and the racial injustice committed against the Jews. Children who have read little Anne Frank’s diary have greater empathy towards the Jews and to children who may have gone through what Anne Frank did.

Multicultural children’s books range from folktale to historic novels to picture books and even multicultural poetry books. These books present a wide collection of stories about the Latin-Hispanic Americans, the Jews, the Asians, the Native Americans and the African-Americans.

When choosing children’s multicultural literature, pick those whose characters are portrayed as realistic to avoid any stereotypes of any race. A good illustration might also help as it sustains interest of the child. These illustrations should not also promote a stereotype of any racial group or culture. It should also be historically accurate and should revolve around themes that depict the true nature and culture of the group. These books should not also contain any negative expressions or should not build up one race as superior over another. A classic example is the misplaced notion that Native American Indians are good and all the white men are bad.

It is also encouraged to look for books that use actual language of the group. Not only does it provide a sense of realism, it also doubles as a language book for your kids. Of course, these books should have a good plot and character development.

Some of the more popular and recommended multicultural children’s books are:

In My Momma’s Kitchen by Jerdine Nolen. An African-American tale which shows the life of an African American family. The heroine portrayed by a little girl narrates the special events in their lives which happened in her momma’s kitchen.

Journey Home by Lawrence McKay Jr. This Vietnamese American story of a girl who was orphaned during the Vietnam War and was brought to the United States. The story recounts the girl’s search for her identity and her ‘home’.

The Heart of a Chief bu Joseph Bruchac. This Native American story is about a boy who lived with his grandfather, aunt and sister in an Indian reservation. In school, he learns to stand up for his rights, his people, his beliefs and become the leader he is.

Amelia’s Road by Linda Jacobs Altman. This is a story of a Mexican American family who are migrant farmer workers, moving from place to place. Amelia, the child, describes her need to belong and the sadness that she feels every time they transfer to another place.